MEMS Support Beam Fabrication via Segmented Metal Patterning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing film support beams in MEMS require high registration accuracy for photoetching, leading to increased manufacturing difficulty and larger beam sizes due to alignment errors, resulting in support beams that are wider than the minimum line width.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a substrate with a sacrificial layer, dielectric, and metal films, where the metal film pattern is divided into support and non-support beam portions, allowing for simultaneous photoetching and etching to achieve the final patterns with reduced alignment requirements, and the sacrificial layer is removed to achieve the desired beam size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If one step of photoetching and etching is used to manufacture the film pattern on the support beam and the metal layer pattern separately, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the smallest size of the support beam is increased due to alignment error requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the metal film layer into two distinct patterns: a metal film pattern of the support beam portion with a wider width, and a metal film pattern of the non-support beam portion with a narrower width equal to the final support beam width. This segmentation allows the support beam to be defined by the narrower metal film pattern rather than requiring precise alignment between separately patterned layers, thereby reducing the minimum support beam size while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the width of the metal film pattern of the support beam portion is made greater than the final support beam width, then the alignment error tolerance is increased, but the metal film pattern requires more complex patterning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different width characteristics to different regions of the metal film pattern: the support beam portion has a wider metal film pattern width to provide alignment tolerance, while the non-support beam portion has a narrower metal film pattern width equal to the final support beam width. This local differentiation allows each region to serve its specific function - the wider support beam region accommodates alignment errors while the narrower non-support region defines the precise final beam dimensions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of film support beams with the smallest size equal to the minimum line width, reducing manufacturing complexity and alignment accuracy requirements, thus simplifying the process.
Implementation Method 1
the sacrificial layer is removed by oxygen
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a film support beam includes: providing a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces; coating a sacrificial layer on the first surface of the substrate, and patterning the sacrificial layer; depositing a dielectric film on the sacrificial layer to form a dielectric film layer, and depositing a metal film on the dielectric film layer to form a metal film layer; patterning the metal film layer, and dividing a patterned area of the metal film layer into a metal film pattern of a support beam portion and a metal film pattern of a non-support beam portion, wherein a width of the metal film pattern of the support beam portion is greater than a width of a final support beam pattern, and a width of the metal film pattern of the non-support beam portion is equal to a width of a width of a final non-support beam pattern at the moment; photoetching and etching on the metal film layer and the dielectric film layer to obtain the final support beam pattern, the final non-support beam pattern and a final dielectric film layer, wherein the final dielectric film layer serves as a support film of the final support beam pattern and the final non-support beam pattern; and removing the sacrificial layer.